Christian Nade timeline: Ex-Hearts man’s battles

Striker Christian Nade, who penned a short-term deal with Championship leaders Dundee earlier this week, is expected to play a key role in the side’s push for promotion to the Scottish Premiership.

As the former Hearts striker returns to Scottish football, the Terrace Scottish Football Podcast has put together a timeline charting the French forward’s colourful period in Scotland’s top flight.

Christian Nade on the bench for East Fife. Picture: Greg Macvean

Aug 31, 2007 – In a busy transfer deadline day, Hearts secure the signature of the Sheffield United striker for a fee of £400,000. The capture allows want-away forward Roman Bednar to move out on loan to West Bromich Albion. Hearts fail in their attempt to convince Anthony Le Tallec that his future belongs at Tynecastle.

Sep 03, 2007 – Nade is immediately inserted into the starting line-up for a televised Monday night clash with Motherwell. The new signing has a quiet performance but does assist for the opening goal, scored by Laryea Kingston, as Hearts defeat the hosts to win their first game of the season. He caught the attention of supporters in the club’s next match as the struggling side easily defeat Rangers 4-2 at Tynecastle.

Sep 25, 2007 – Scores his first goal for the club, a penalty, in a 4-1 after extra-time win over Dunfermline in the League Cup. Two matches later he came off the bench to score his first league goal and net Hearts fourth in a 4-2 win over Falkirk.

Nov 4, 2007 – He makes his first memory of the Edinburgh derby a happy one. In the second clash of the season at Easter Road, the visitors are trailing to an early Christophe Berra own goal when Nade manages to divert a Andrius Ksanavicius header past the goalkeeper from close range. The match would finish 1-1. He went on to score in consecutive games as Hearts defeat Aberdeen 4-1 at Tynecastle. It was Hearts’ last win for 10 matches.

Jan 26, 2008 – Nade nets his first goal since the last time the two sides met as Hearts defeat Aberdeen at Pittodrie. However, his accomplishment is derided by Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood, who said that the striker was only in position to intercept a short back-pass because he was being “lazy” by failing to get himself onside.

Apr 05, 2008 – Needing a win to sneak into the top six, Hearts travel to Kilmarnock for what became a frustrating afternoon of football. Neither side are particularly impressive, but the home team do a fine job of limiting Hearts to any clear-cut chances until stoppage time. In one of the last moments of the game, Nade finds himself with a free header at the back post. With the chance to restore dignity and earn the club a financial boost from the top six attendances, the forward meekly nods his effort high over the crossbar.

Aug 27, 2008 – New Hearts boss Csaba Laszlo says that he thought Nade was a “fat student” who had come along to watch the team train when he arrived for his first session with the side.

Oct 19, 2008 – Having been omitted from the first team from the beginning of the season, Nade makes his first start in the Edinburgh derby. He wouldn’t score this time but would do enough to regain his place in the starting eleven after performing admirably in a 1-1 draw.

Nov 12, 2008 – He nets his first goal of the campaign in a 1-0 win over Hamilton at Tynecastle. The match is the second of five consecutive wins for Laszlo’s side as they lift themselves from the bottom half right into the race for Europe. Soon after Nade does a number of newspaper interviews where he states that the manager’s “fat student” joke drove him to do better and that he feels much more comfortable with his life in Edinburgh.

Jan 03, 2009 – The striker hits the woodwork twice as the two Edinburgh clubs draw once more in the New Year derby. However, Nade would not have to wait long to get his revenge. Eight days later he opens the scoring as Hearts defeat Hibs 2-0 in the Scottish Cup.

Mar 03, 2009 – Having scored only once in the time in between, Nade is criticised in the media for passing up a number of chances in his side’s 1-0 defeat at Easter Road. He starts the next match against Rangers at Ibrox, but is substituted for Calum Elliot and remains behind the young striker in the pecking order for the remainder of the campaign.

Sep 25, 2009 – Days after using defender Ismael Bouzid up front in place of Nade in a defeat to Celtic, Laszlo states that neither Nade nor new signing David Witteveen are good enough to lead the line for Hearts. With limited options, the manager has Nade jumping in and out of the starting line-up. He then scores in back-to-back games against St Johnstone and Kilmarnock. They would be his only goals of the season.

Feb 10, 2010 – In the aftermath of a 2-0 defeat to Celtic in Glasgow, Nade reacts to a heated exchange of words between him and team-mate Ian Black by supposedly punching the midfielder, now at Rangers. New manager Jim Jefferies responds by omitting Nade from the squad for several weeks.

Apr 10, 2010 – He plays his last game for Hearts in a 1-0 home win over Kilmarnock. His contract expires at the end of the campaign and he is released.

Jun 14, 2010 – Nade is sued for failing to pay off outstanding debts owed for two cars that he had owned during his time in Edinburgh.

Jul 6, 2013 – After three years away from the Scottish game, Nade makes a surprise return to sign with East Fife. The player arrives injured but the team’s coaching staff are confident he’ll be fit to play before the season starts.

Nov 18, 2013 – The Terrace Podcast exclusively reveals that the striker’s deal to East Fife is dead in the water after it emerged that the club were unable to gain international clearance. East Fife chairman Lee Murray states that he “never thought he was that great” when stating that he wasn’t all that concerned by the breakdown in the deal.

Jan 16, 2014 – Nade signs for Dundee, but is made to wait to make his debut as his side’s match with Hamilton is postponed.